Coin conveying apparatus



May 6, 1969 Filed Dec. 15, 1967 BUCHHOLZ ET AL 3,442,272

COIN CONVEYING APPARATUS Sheet Z of 2 INVENTORS ARNOLD R. BUCHHOLZ CHARLES T. BERGMAN ATTORNEY Sheet A R. BUCHHOLZ ET COIN CONVEYING APPARATUS.

May 6, 1969 Filed Dec. 15. 1967 INVENTORS ARNOLD R. BUCHHOLZ CHARLES T. BERGMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent U.S. Cl. 133-1 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coin conveyor apparatus is disclosed which comprises a pair of endless driven conveyor belts opposing each other over a bottom plate that extends from the delivery chute of a coin. dispensing machine to a remote coin cup. A first of the conveyor belts has a fixed run and the second conveyor belt has a commensurate run that is biased towards such runs of the first belt to grip and transport coins therebetween. The first belt is driven by a motor driven wheel that frictionally engages the first belt, and the second belt is driven by its frictional engagement with the first belt. A control circuit for the motor is provided which is actuated by a signal from the coin dispensing machine and a time delay is included in the circuit to maintain the motor energized for a sufficient length of time to convey coins from the chute to the cup.

Background of the invention This invention relates to coin conveying equipment, and particularly to a coin conveying apparatus for trans porting coins from the discharge chute of a coin dispensing machine to a remote point.

It has been common in dispensing coins from coin changers or payers to employ a gravity feed from a storage of the coins in the changer or payer to a cup which is disposed at a position where it can be reached by a customer or machine operator. To accomplish this, however, it is necessary that the coin dispensing machine be at a level above that of the cup.

It is now desired that the coin dispensing machines be placed out of sight of the customer with only the cup within sight and reach of the customer. This may be accomplished by enclosing the coin dispensing machine on the counter top within a decorative structure to hide the same and leaving the cup exposed. However, to achieve a smooth counter top the coin dispensing machine must be removed from the counter and the normal gravity feed of coins to the cup cannot be used. It then becomes necessary to provide auxiliary means for moving the coins from the machine to the cup on the counter. On proposed solution to this problem has been suggested by the US. patent to Simmerman et al. No. 3,175,563. However, the device of such patent is limited in its function to conveying coins vertically whereas many desired installations require as much, if not more, lateral movement as vertical movement of the coins. Also, the device of such patent is complex and requires that the coins follow a tortuous path.

The coin conveying apparatus of this invention provides a simple but effective mechanism for transporting coins to a remote point which may be displaced laterally as well as vertically from the discharge chute of the coin dispensing machine. The operation of the apparatus is triggered by the coin dispensing machine but the operation of the apparatus is halted after a period of time sufficient to complete the transporting of the discharge coins so that the apparatus is in operation only when needed.

3,442,272 Patented May 6, 1969 Summary of the invention The coin conveying apparatus of this invention includes a support with a bottom plate extending along a line from the chute of a coin dispensing machine to a remote point, a first driven conveyor belt above the bottom plate and having a fixed run, a second driven conveyor belt above the bottom plate and having a run biased against said fixed run to pinch coins between said belts, and driving means for driving said belts to transport coins from the chute to the remote point. The invention further resides in the provision of a control for said driving means which is responsive to the coin dispensing machine so as to drive said belts upon the start of the dispensing of coins from said machine.

In the description which follows, a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in sufficient detail to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the same. It should be appreciated, however, that only a preferred embodiment is disclosed and changes can be .made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a coin conveying apparatus in accordance with the invention and showing the apparatus in relation to a coin dispensing machine and a coin receiving cup; FIG. 2 is a top View of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section taken in a plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section taken in the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit for the motor of the apparatus.

Description of the preferred embodiment A coin conveyor apparatus is shown incorporated in an installation in which it is desired to convey coins from a conventional coin dispensing machine 10*, such as a changer or payer, which rests on a shelf 11 beneath the level of a counter top 12. Coins are conveyed by the apparatus to a coin receiving cup 13' mounted flush with the upper surface of the counter top 12 and having a depressed receiving pocket 14 at a level beneath the top surface of the counter top 12. The cup 13 includes an inlet chute 15 such that coins deposited on edge in the chute 15 will roll into the pocket 14 of the cup for removal by hand. The coin dispensing machine 10 has a delivery chute 16 projecting from its side, in a normal manner, from which coins are dispensed by the operation of the machine 10. It is the function of the conveying apparatus to receive coins from the delivery chute 16 and transport them in an upright position to the cup 13 for discharge into the cup 13 upon demand.

The conveying apparatus includes a standard 17 which rises from the shelf 11 and has an inclined upper edge to which a bottom plate 18 is connected. The bottom plate 18 projects laterally from the standard 17 and extends along a line from the delivery chute 16 to the inlet chute 15 of the cup. A first endless conveyor belt 19 is disposed above the bottom plate 18 and is supported at each end on support rollers 20 which turn on shafts 21 rising from the bottom plate 18. An L-shaped bracket 22 is mounted on the bottom plate 18 between the support rollers 20. The bracket 22 includes an upright portion 23 which falls in a plane tangent to the support rollers 20 and which defines a fixed run of the belt 19.

A second conveyor belt 24 is disposed parallel to the first belt 19 and is supported on a plurality of guide rollers 25. Referring to FIG. 4, each of the guide rollers 25 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 26 which is held at its top by an arm 27 and guided at its bottom in a slot in the bottom plate 18. The arm 27 is mounted on the end of a long machine screw 28 which is surrounded by a sleeve pivot 29. The sleeve pivot 29 is journaled in a pivot hearing 30 secured to the bottom plate 18. A coil spring 31 surrounds the pivot bearing 30 and is held at its lower end in the bottom plate 18 and at its upper end in the arm 27. The springs 31 are wound in such manner as to exert a force on the arms 27 to move the respective guide rollers 25 against a run of the second belt 24 that is commensurate with the fixed run of the first belt 19 and thereby urge such runs together. The conveyor belts 19 and 24 may be identical and are preferably each formed of two layers of material bonded together. For example, the first belt 19 may be formed with an outer layer 32 of material having a high coefiicient of friction, such as natural rubher or polyurethane, while an inner layer 33 is formed of a material having a low coeflicient of friction, such as nylon, coth or Teflon. Thus, low friction forces are developed between the support rollers 20 and guide rollers 25 and the conveyor belts 19 and 24 while high friction forces are developed between the conveyor belts 19 and 24. The frictional engagement of the belts 19 and 24 with each other may be further enhanced by providing the outer layer 32 with slight protuberances.

The power for driving the belts 19 and 24 is provided by an electric motor 34 mounted on a bracket 35 that is hinged to the standard 17. The motor 34 includes a re ducer head 36, the output shaft of which mounts a high friction driving wheel 37. The driving wheel 37 is urged to engage the first belt 19 by an extension spring 38 which is connected between a tab 39 of the motor bracket 35 and the standard 17.

When the motor 34 is energized, the driving Wheel 37 will drive the first belt 19 which, in turn, will drive the second belt 24. Coins rolling out of the delivery chute 16 will be pinched between the belts 19 and 24 at the bight thereof and will be carried in an upright position between the engaging runs of the belts 19 and 24 to the inlet chute 15 f the cup 13. The spring mounting of the guide rollers 25 for the second conveyor belt 24 permits the second belt 24 to accommodate the thickness of the coins as they are conveyed without entirely removing the contact of the belts so that the belts can be driven in unison. Since the rollers 20 and 25 are not used for driving they need not be maintaned fully rotatable and slippage of the belts past the rollers can be accepted. The bottom plate 18 prevents the coins from dropping from between the conveyor belts 19 and 24.

A control system is provided for operating the motor 34 for the length of time sufiicient to transport coins from the delivery chute 16 to the inlet chute 15 and without requiring continuous operation of the motor 34. Such control circuit is shown in FIG. and is actuated by the closing of a normally open motor switch 40 which forms a part of the coin dispensing circuit of the machine 10. Reference should be made to U.S. Patent No. 2,864,385 issued to Arnold R. Buchholz and William H. Sprenger for Coin Dispensing Machine for an example of a machine with a motor switch that is closed to initiate the dispensing of coins from the machine.

One input conductor 41 is connected directly to a contact 42 of a first relay switch 43 of a relay including a coil 44. Another contact 45 of a second relay switch 46 is connected to the input conductor 41 through the normally open motor switch 40 and a normally open On-Olf switch 47. One side of the coil 44 is connected through a resistor 48 and a rectifier 49 to a second input conductor 50. The other side of the coil 44 is connected to parallel connected resistor 51 and capacitor 52. When the coil 44 is not energized, a third relay switch 53 completes the parallel connection of the resistor 51 and the capacitor 52 through a conductor 54 to the second relay switch 46. The motor 34 is connected across the first relay switch 43 and the second input conductor 50.

When the On-Otf switch 47 is closed, closure of the motor switch 40 initiating the dispensing of a coin or coins from the machine 10 will also complete acircuit through the contact 45, the second relay switch 46, the conductor 54, the third relay switch 53 and the resistor 51 and capacitor 52 to the coil 44 thereby energizing the coil. The current flow will be pulsating D-C. Energization of the coil 44 will cause each of the relay switches 43, 46 and 53 to shift to their alternate positions. Shifting of the first relay switch 43 will connect the motor directly across the input conductors 41 and 50 to energize the motor 34 to drive the conveyor belts. Switching of the third relay switch 53 will remove the resistor 51 from the coil circuit and shifting of the second relay switch 46 will connect the capacitor 52 to the input conductor 41. The coil 44 will remain energized and the capacitor 52 charges until the voltage across the coil 44 is low enough to release the relay switches 43, 46 and 53. When the relay drops out, the relay switches return to their normal positions shown in FIG. 5 and the capacitor 52 will discharge through the discharge resistor 51. At the same time the circuit to the motor 34 is broken as is the circuit to the capacitor 52. It will be noted that only a momentary closure of the motor switch 40 is necessary to cause the energization of the motor 34 and that the circuit will provide a time delay to maintain the motor 34 energized after the motor switch again opens. The motor 34 is energized as long as the relay coil 44 is energized. By selecting the proper capacitor 52 the time delay can be varied to insure that the belts will be driven for the length of time necessary to transport the maximum number of coins that are dispensed from the machine 10 and for no longer.

When the relay drops out, the belts stop and the apparatus is ready for subsequent operation upon signal from the coin dispensing machine 10.

The speed at which the belts 19 and 24 are driven is selected to approximate the velocity at which coins are discharged to the payment cup of a coin dispensing machine so that the same rolling action of the coins entering the cup 13 is achieved.

An apparatus in accordance with the invention can be formed to accommodate any desired installation of coin dispensing machine and cup by directing the bottom plate and belts along a line from the chute of the coin dispensing machine to the cup.

We claim:

1. In a coin conveying apparatus for transporting coins from the coin delivery chute of a coin dispensing machine to a point remote from said machine, the combination comprising:

a support including a bottom plate extending along a line from said chute to said remote point;

a first endless driven belt;

means supporting said first belt above said bottom plate with the sides of said belt upright;

an upright plate on said support against which a said first belt travels to define an elongated run of said first belt from a position adjacent said chute to said remote point; 4

a second endless driven belt having a run commensurate with said run of said first belt;

biasing support means supporting said second belt above said bottom plate and urging said run of said second belt against said run of said first belt to pinch coins therebetween;

the bight of said runs being adapted to be disposed at said chute;

and driving means for driving said belts to transport coins leaving said chute and deliver the same in an upright condition to said remote point.

2. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 1 together with a control system for said driving means, said control system being responsive to said coin dispensing machine to have said driving means drive said belt upon the start of the dispensing of coins from said machine to said chute.

3. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means supporting said first belt comprises a pair of support rollers each mounted at a respective end of said bottom plate, said upright plate extends between said support rollers, and said biasing support means comprises a plurality of guide rollers individually supported;

spring loaded mounting means to be biased towards said run of said first belt to define said run of said second belt, said plurality of guide rollers including a pair of end guide rollers each disposed opposite a respective one of said support rollers.

4. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said mounting means each comprise a bushing secured to said bottom plate, a shaft journaled in said bushing, a lever arm secured to a projecting portion of said shaft and mounting respective one of said guide rollers, and a coil spring surrounding said bushing and secured at one end to said bottom plate and at its other end to said lever arm.

5. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said runs of said first and second belts frictionally engage each other, and said driving means comprises a driving wheel frictioually engaging one of said belts, and a motor connected to drive said wheel, whereby one of said belts is driven by said wheel and the other of said belts is driven by said one belt.

6. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said motor and said wheel are mounted on a bracket that is hinged to said support, together with an extension spring connected between said bracket and said support to urge said wheel into engagement with said one of said belts.

7. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said belts has an inner layer of material having a low coeflicient of friction for engaging said rollers and an outer layer of material having a high coefficient of friction for engagement with the other belt and with coins.

8. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said control system is responsive to a momentary signal from said machine to thereupon actuate said driving means to drive said belts, and wherein said control system includes time delay means to maintain said driving means actuated after the removal of said signal for a period sufficient to transport the coins to said remote point.

9. A coin conveying apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said driving means comprises an electric motor connectable to a source of current, and wherein said control system includes a relay having a coil and relay switches, a capacitor connected in series with said coil, said coil and capacitor being connected to said source upon the actuation of a switch in said coin dispensing machine, said coil when energized shifting said relay switches to connect said motor to said source and to form a holding circuit from said source to said coil through said capacitor, said coil releasing said circuit to said motor when the voltage across said coil drops to a low level as the capacitor is charged to de-energize said motor.

10. A coin conveying apparatus for transporting coins from the coin delivery chute of a coin dispensing machine to a cup remote from and elevated with respect to said machine, said apparatus comprising:

a support including an inclined bottom plate extending along a line from said chute to said cup;

a pair of spaced support rollers each disposed at one end of said bottom plate and projecting upwardly therefrom;

a first endless driven belt disposed about said support rollers;

an upright plate projecting from said bottom plate between said support rollers, said first belt traveling against said upright plate to define a run of said first belt;

a plurality of guide rollers projecting upwardly from said bottom plate;

a second endless driven belt disposed about said guide rollers and having a run commensurate with said run of said first belt;

said guide rollers being Spring biased to urge said run of said second belt into engagement with said run of said first belt to pinch in an upright position therebetween;

a drive wheel in friction engagement with one of said belts;

a motor connected to rotate said drive wheel to drive said one of said belts which will in turn drive the other of said belts;

and a control system responsive to said coin dispensing machine to energize said motor and maintain said motor energized for a period of time sufficient to transport coins from said chute to said cup.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,941,654 6/ 1960 Falconer. 3,108,680 10/1963 Ellis et a1. 1331 X 3,175,563 3/1965 Simmerman et a1. 133-1 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. l98-165 

